Jabalpur cyber criminals held a 72-year-old retired government employee, Avinash Chandra from Napier Town, under a terrifying “digital arrest” for three days, extorting ₹21.5 lakh in three installments while monitoring his every move via constant video calls. Police registered a case Saturday against unidentified fraudsters posing as Pune ATS officials.
Fake ATS Officer Triggers Panic with Terror Financing Claims
On December 1, an unknown caller claimed Chandra’s Aadhaar and bank account were used in a terrorist financial network, sending forged ATS and Defence Ministry documents via WhatsApp. Threatening immediate arrest of Chandra and his son plus property seizure, scammers trapped him in fear.
Fraudsters enforced strict “digital custody” from 9 AM to 7 PM daily, video-calling continuously to watch his activities. Chandra was forbidden from leaving home, talking to others, or ending calls, enduring psychological pressure while complying fully under threats.
Three Installments Demanded, False Refund Promise
Scammers sent bank details demanding ₹21.5 lakh in three tranches, assuring temporary safekeeping with return in six days—a blatant lie. They extracted property details, bank info, and personal data during surveillance, bolstering credibility with fake official papers.
Family Intervention Exposes Scam; Police Hunt Begins
Suspicious family members took Chandra to cyber police after noticing odd behavior. Alerted scammers called back declaring no refunds possible. Jabalpur police launched probe into this grave cybercrime, urging immediate 1930 helpline reports for suspicious threats.
Stay Safe from Digital Arrests
- Hang up on “police/ATS” calls demanding money or details
- Verify via official 100 police number only
- Report instantly to cybercrime.gov.in
